She rose to fame in the late 1950s and became one of the best-selling female vocalists ever, selling over 80 million records during her illustrious career. However, her success came with a deeply personal cost, as family interference, heartbreak, and devastating tragedies marked her private life.
She was born into a hardworking Italian family in Newark, New Jersey. By the time she was a teenager, her father had mapped out her future as a star. His strict guidance ensured her career would flourish, but it also came at the expense of her freedom.
The singer performs on stage in 1959 | Source: Getty Images
She got her big break in the ’50s, but as her fame grew, her father’s control over her life set the stage for the heartbreaks and tragedies that would follow. One of the earliest casualties of her father’s control was her relationship with the man she still calls the love of her life.
Portrait of the actress in 1960 | Source: Getty Images
A Star Is Born: From Humble Beginnings to Chart-Topping Fame
Her love for music started at a young age, inspired by her father, George Franconero, who played the concertina, a traditional Italian instrument, at their family home. By the time she was four, she was performing songs like “O Sole Mio” in public. Her father, convinced she was destined for stardom, became the driving force behind her career.
The singer poses in a studio portrait, circa 1960 | Source: Getty Images
She spent her teenage years performing on the television program “Startime Kids,” but her early solo recordings failed to make an impact. Just as she was about to give up her music dreams and accept a scholarship to New York University, everything changed.
In 1958, she released “Who’s Sorry Now?” at the urging of her father. The song sold 1.5 million copies and skyrocketed her to fame. Over the next decade, she dominated the charts with hits like “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick on Your Collar,” and “Where the Boys Are.”
The singer and actress performs in 1958 | Source: Getty Images
Her success extended to Hollywood, where she starred in musicals such as “Follow the Boys” and “Looking for Love.” Despite her fame and fortune, her father’s tight control over her life would soon take a toll on her personal relationships.
The singer and actress on the set of “Where The Boys Are” in 1960 | Source: Getty Images
The Forbidden Romance with Bobby Darin
In 1956, she crossed paths with Bobby Darin, a young songwriter trying to make a name for himself. Their first meeting was far from ideal—he left in frustration after a disagreement over one of his songs. But as they continued working together, they grew closer.
Singer Bobby Darin pictured in 1960 | Source: Getty Images
By the time she was 18, their relationship had blossomed into a serious romance. However, her father was staunchly against their relationship, believing it would derail her burgeoning career. He reportedly went to extreme lengths to end their romance.
On one occasion, he chased Darin out of a rehearsal at gunpoint after discovering the young couple’s plans to elope. Out of fear for Darin’s safety, she reluctantly stayed away from him, though the two continued to exchange heartfelt letters for a time.
Love letter from Bobby Darin to the singer/actress in Everyday Heroes collection in 2016 | Source: Getty Images
Darin, devastated by the breakup, eventually moved on and married actress Sandra Dee in 1960. Years later, she continued to grapple with unresolved feelings and memories of their star-crossed romance.
The Tragic Death of Bobby Darin
Darin’s life and career were as meteoric as they were short-lived. By the age of 24, he had already achieved legendary status, with four million-selling records, two Grammy Awards, and an Oscar nomination for his role in the 1963 film “Captain Newman, M.D.”
Bobby Darin poses for a photo in August 1963, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
However, his lifelong battle with a heart condition, caused by childhood rheumatic fever, loomed over his success. He lived with the belief that his time was limited, famously saying, “I have to be a legend by the time I’m 25 because that’s how long doctors gave me to live.”
In 1973, Darin died at the age of 37 following complications from heart surgery. The news of his death left the singer devastated. Years after his passing, she admitted, “I never felt quite the same about anyone the way I still feel about Bobby to this day.”
The singer-actress and Bobby Darin performing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on January 3, 1960 | Source: Getty Images
Her heartbreak was compounded by the knowledge that their love had been cut short not only by fate but also by the strict interference of her father. Nearly half a century after his passing, the letters she had written to him resurfaced.
The actress on July 30, 2009 in New York City | Source: Getty Images
In 2016, she retrieved the 18 love letters that had been put up for auction by Darin’s family. Though initially outbid by a Darin fan, the fan ultimately returned the letters to her without asking for payment, saying they belonged with her.
She described holding those letters again as a bittersweet experience, filled with memories of a love that was never fully realized. Though her romance with Darin was the most painful loss of her life, it wasn’t the only tragedy she would endure.
The singer during a recording session studio in New York, circa 1959 | Source: Getty Images
The Loss of Her Younger Brother
In 1981, her family was struck by a horrifying tragedy when her younger brother, George Franconero Jr., was murdered in an execution-style killing. On a winter morning in New Jersey, George, then 40 years old, was scraping ice off his car windshield when he was shot dead.
The loss of her only brother devastated the actress and her family. It was only after his death that she learned of George’s connections to organized crime, which she said she had been unaware of until it was too late. She described the impact on her mother as heartbreaking, saying her grief was unbearable.
Undated family portrait of the Franconeros | Source: Getty Images
For her, the murder pushed her into a downward spiral, leading her to attempt suicide in the early 1980s by overdosing on sleeping pills. She later recounted, “I couldn’t accept my brother’s murder. That was just heartbreaking.”
Her struggles with mental health led to several stays in psychiatric facilities. However, with therapy and the support of family and friends, she eventually found the strength to continue.
The actress and singer, circa 1980 | Source: Getty Images
In the years that followed, she took on the role of matriarch for her family, stepping in to care for her brother’s wife and children, as well as her parents and adopted son. Just a few years before her brother’s murder, another horrific event temporarily brought her career to a standstill.
The actress and singer pictured in London on April 18, 1985 | Source: Getty Images
The Assault That Changed Her Life
In 1974, while staying in a Long Island hotel, she experienced a horrifying ordeal. A man broke into her room while she was sleeping and raped her at knifepoint. The attack left her traumatized, and she later described it as the beginning of her darkest period.
A month after the assault, she adopted her son, Joey, as an infant. She later described him as her greatest source of joy during the years that followed. At the same time, her professional life came to a standstill.
Joseph “Joey” Garzilli with his mother at the book party for “Who’s Sorry Now?” on October 9, 1984, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
A botched nasal surgery compounded her struggles, leaving her unable to sing for seven years. Traumatized by the attack, she withdrew from public life and became reclusive, struggling to process the horrific event.
The singer pictured after nasal surgery in 1977 | Source: Getty Images
She spent years undergoing additional corrective procedures before she could regain her voice. Her faith, family, and close friends helped her begin the slow process of healing. Years later, she spoke about the importance of resilience and finding purpose after trauma.
Despite being absent from the spotlight for nearly a decade, she eventually returned to her music career. After enduring so much loss and heartbreak, she embarked on a journey to find love.
The singer posing for a photo in London in 1963 | Source: Getty Images
Her Four Marriages: A Search for Love
In the years following her heartbreak with Darin, she sought love in other relationships, marrying four times. Each union, however, ended in divorce. Her marriages, she later admitted, were attempts to find the kind of connection she had lost with Darin.
The singer pictured on October 11, 2013 | Source: Getty Images
Her third husband, Joseph Garzilli, was a writer known for the film “Opposite Corners” (1997). Her fourth and final husband, Bob Parkinson, was a producer behind projects like “I Challenge You” (1985).
Despite her hopes, none of her marriages lasted, with the longest spanning five years and the shortest ending after just four months. Reflecting on her choices, she admitted that her personal life often took a backseat to her career.
The singer poses for a photo on November 10, 2013 | Source: Getty Images
“If I had put as much thought into selecting husbands as I did with Vegas openings, I would have been fine,” she once said. She also noted how her success in show business sometimes became a source of tension in her relationships. “I spent most of my life apologizing to men for my success,” she explained.
The singer and actress pictured in 2017 | Source: Getty Images
Her Legacy and Life Today
Despite having an unsuccessful love life, Connie Francis, at 87, remains one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. Throughout her career, she sold over 80 million records, becoming one of the most successful female vocalists of her time.
Her iconic hits defined a generation, while her performances in films showcased her versatility as an entertainer. In addition to her accomplishments in music and film, Connie found purpose in sharing her story with the world.
She wrote two memoirs: “Who’s Sorry Now?” in 1984, which chronicled her early career and personal struggles, and “Among My Souvenirs” in 2017, which offered a deeper look into her life’s ups and downs. In 2022, she revealed she was working on additional volumes to continue telling her extraordinary story.
Francis has also used her platform to advocate for causes close to her heart, including victims’ rights, mental health awareness, and veterans’ support.
She now enjoys a quieter life in Florida. In recent years, she has focused on writing extensions of her memoir and reflecting on her extraordinary journey. “For the first time, I have free time on my hands to do only what I want,” she shared in 2022.
Though she is retired now, her fans continue to celebrate her legacy, with heartfelt comments such as, “You are just as beautiful as ever, Connie,” and, “She’s so gorgeous and what a classy lady.” Another admirer wrote, “Connie looking great like always,” while others simply called her “Beautiful!”
These tributes reflect the deep admiration and affection she still commands decades after her rise to fame. Even today, her music and story continue to inspire many.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
